Hi, I am Paula Peterson. I have been married to my best friend since 1985. We have two amazing grown kids, a daughter and a son, with great partners. Needless to say, I am a proud mom.
I am independent, with a tenacious personality, and a hopeful visionary. These characteristics are my weakness and my strength. I believe our life’s challenges can nurture these qualities through each experience to enrich and promote opportunities to better oneself.
I love outdoor adventure, travel, and good competition. Nature is my church. I have traveled to many amazing places and live in one of the most beautiful. I’ve played sports all my life. It allowed me to meet great people and be a team player. I love animals. I had several in my life who taught me unconditional love.
My hopeful vision is to help others navigate as an amputee and raise awareness to others of the daily struggles of an arm amputee. Posting my vulnerability is intimidating, and writing as a person with dyslexia is definitely out of my comfort zone. I am always up for a challenge.
“In the end, some of your greatest pain becomes your greatest strength.”
Drew Barrymore
WHY THE TITLE?
I approach my fears with humor, so I wanted to put something on my arm that would humor the amputee surgeons instead of the typical “X” they use to mark the correct arm. The song “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” by Elvis Presley was appropriate for the saying and represents good childhood memories. My grandma was a huge influence in my life. She loved his music.
Both my mom and grandma fought a tough battle with brain cancer. They have given me the strength on this journey. It is my way to honor and have them with me.
So, I had a temporary tattoo designed with this symbol and the quote, “Take my hand.” On the day of the surgery, I was extremely nervous. When I went to put the tattoo on, I placed the wrong side on my arm, so it stuck to the cloth, not my skin. So, I thought it would be fitting to use the message and chose it as my logo and blog name, “Take My Hand Amputation.”
WHY THE LOGO?
The hummingbird symbolizes joy, healing, good luck, and a messenger from spirits. It shields negative energy and teaches endurance to combat all adversities. The hummingbird shows the sweetness of life. Before my mom passed, we had long talks about how we would keep in touch. She said she would return as a hummingbird.
The Lotus flower represents the journey of the human soul. It represents the struggles of life. A symbol of strength and perseverance. Every day, it rises out of the muddy waters of darkness to reach the sunlight and bloom its beauty to the world.
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